By Tuesday the trio was spotted in trees along Schubert Drive, and on Wednesday the sow and one of the cubs were recognized in Waterfront Park, leading to a closure of that area between Riverside Park and Pioneer Park.

The city reported the two bears had moved on from the Waterfront Park area Thursday afternoon. It was reopened to the public.

City of Kamloops acting bylaw services manager Tammy Blundell said conservation officers went looking for the bears on Friday, but the sow and cub were nowhere to be found.

“We’re praying that she got out of town. That’s where she’s supposed to go,” Blundell said.

Blundell said conservation officers aren’t sure what happened to the second cub, noting its possible the bears swam to the Waterfront Park area and the cub didn’t make it or it was attacked by a male bear conservation officers were dealing with on the south side of the river.

“We’re not sure. It’s all suspect right now,” Blundell said.

While the bylaw service doesn’t receive all the same calls as the Conservation Officer Service, Blundell said she’s received just two other calls since Thursday for bears — a male spotted on Rabbit Island and another lone bear that got into a beehive on a property in Sahali.

Since Sunday there has been one call of a bear sighting to the Conservation Officer Service — a sharp decrease from the 25 calls received last week.

Bears are known to be moving through town this time of year as they prepare for hibernation. Residents are reminded to manage their attractants by picking fruit trees and refraining from leaving their trash cans out at night.